Monthly Archives: August 2014

The Whalers comfortably beat Judd St Tigers at Kings House on Sunday despite a flurry of dropped catches. Inclement weather at 12.30 delayed start of play to the relief of latecomers Ed and Nick. It was decided that a 30-30 over game would suffice. Although posting an initial decent total of 142 from 30 overs the Tigers undermanned bowling line up could not compete with good batting from Stu, Al, and JT who saw the Whale post the total comfortably within 22 overs…6 wickets in hand.

Nick and Paul opened the bowling initially keeping the Tigers in check with some tight bowling. Paul was particularly economical over 4 overs (2 maidens) only giving up 6 runs and unlucky not to remove the opener with some positive bowling. Nick managed to take 2 wickets over 6 overs going for 15 runs. Kirkness took a good catch at deep mid-off from a Howes full toss to embellish his bowling statistics.

Kamal (deserving of an award for playing in every game thus far this season) and Matt replaced Nick and Paul. An inform Tigers batsman, Pinfields came to the crease and proceeded to play some fine shots. In combination with the opening Delanian the two managed to calmly increase the run rate. Kamal was unlucky to not get Pinfields out LBW. Initially given out, sporting play from Stu brought him back into play as it appeared he had hit the ball first. He continued to play some nice shots around the ground making 51 before being caught off Kirkness by Giles in first slip. Ed finished 3 0 22 1. Matt discovered his jump-pop action bowling Delanian with a good ball and had a another wicket caught again by Kirkness in the deep finishing with 6 0 30 2. Kamal similarly finished 6 0 34 0.

It was left to Kirkness and Osgood to finish off the last overs. Dan bowled well…angrily…to take 2 wickets. An aggressive caught and bowled resulted in the ball being thrown into the pitch no celebration. Continued pace resulted in a good ball removing another finishing on 5 0 33 2. Stu ran out a Tiger on the final ball to complete the Whales fielding and bowling performance.

Stu and Gilo opened the batting and proceeded to score runs quickly. Gilo was stumped early and Nicholls managed a 100% strike rate making 6 off 6 balls. Stu and Al steadied the ship with Terrell playing some fine shots around the ground. Sportingly Stu walked at 70 being caught behind unbeknown to most fielders and umpires on the ground. At that stage JT came to the crease and proceeded to up the ante dispatching balls to cow corner and third man to make a quick fire 25. Paul helped Al make the final runs both finishing on 7 and Al 22 not out.

Man of Match: Stu (outstanding keeping and batting)

Muppet of the match: (miraculously after dropping 2 catches in first slip and some theatrical cart-wheel fielding on the boundary…P.Nicholls controversially avoided the award….was….…JT (which stump is leg stump again??)

The Whalers were playing away this week so it was a rare Saturday fixture, albeit at our usual ground at Kings House. The familiar routine this season of scrapping around for players was no different this week so we welcomed Jack (Dan’s work colleague) and Jake (Kev’s mate), as well as Tony from Salix who is fast becoming a Whaler himself this year…and Whelan (aka “wheels”) made a return to the fold after a 10yr break.

Elthorne seemed to have similar problems but managed to get 10 adults and a couple of juniors to make it to the field in time, so we were ok to go. We were on pitch “D”, you know, the one that’s a 10min walk to the back and is often described as “variable”. A quick look at the pitch confirmed that it wasn’t going to be any different today. Nevertheless Kev strode confidently back from the toss with a smile, waving his arms to indicate that we’ll be bowling…b, b, but…he won it?…and didn’t want to bat first? a bold decision.

After the muttering was over we got ourselves out into the field and Jack was given the honour of starting the attack, joined enthusiastically by Paul Luckett. Jack was pacey and sharp, a welcome addition to the whalers attack. Paul was less sharp, less pacey, but also challenging the batsmen. But the pitch was behaving itself and Elthorne were playing sensibly and picking their shots carefully so it was tough going. Jack had a good spell, getting a nick back to Kev who got his gloves to it only to spoon it to Tony who couldn’t quite grasp it. There was also a very close LBW shout but at the first change we still hadn’t made the break-through, so it was down to Pip and Kamal to get something out of the wicket. Kamal immediately got his rhythm going and started to make the batsmen play with more caution.

After 18 overs it was drinks and Elthorne were 80 odd runs ahead with no wickets down. We needed to get a wicket soon or this could be a big score.

Finally Kamal got his just rewards as the batsman went for an off-drive only to scoop it up to Dan at mid-off. It was a relief but Elthorne were still in a good position. Paul came back into the attack and a couple of overs later the other opening batsman went for a big swing only to hit fresh-air and Kev took the leg-side stumping with ease. Now we were in business, two new batsmen at the crease and our tails were up. As we entered the last 10 overs Elthorne started to take a few more risks and more wickets came our way. Dario took a run out but Paul’s ball that kissed the top of off-stump was the highlight. With a new batsman at the crease the call from the skipper was to stop the singles to keep him on strike but Kamal had other ideas. As the ball was tapped towards him he swung his foot at it with a strike that Alexis Sanchez would have been proud of to send the ball passed Kev for over-throws. Despite that mishap, and with Dan and Jack finishing the overs off, we were hoping to keep Elthorne to less than 150 runs. Jack also took a classy wicket by knocking over the off-stump but one or two boundaries were leaked and Elthorne managed to get to 157 at the break.

Jack 6overs 24 for 1

Paul 7overs 31 for 2

Kamal 7overs 20 for 1

Dan 7overs 25 for 0

As we made the long walk back to the clubhouse for tea we thought that the score was probably a touch less than par for this pitch and we should definitely be able to get it, but with an unusual side and unknown batting line-up it wasn’t for certain.

Dario and Wheels started the reply to find the Elthorne bowling attack not giving much away (although Dario got the usual “Boycott batting” fine). Then came the first signs of the pitch misbehaving as Wheels stood back on his heels preparing to swipe a short one away to the off-side only for the ball to cut in and hit him on the ankle, out LBW. Not long after Dario hung his bat out to dry and nicked it to the keeper so the Whalers were 2 wickets down after 7 overs and only 8 runs on the board. The run-chase had stalled massively.

Pip added a few runs before being caught, which brought Gilo to the crease. At this point the score was 29 after 12 overs and there was still a lot to do. Kev was at the other end and he was just starting to get settled in. After a couple of overs the runs started to pick up and the score was ticking over, but only at 3 or 4 per over instead of what we needed which was 5 or 6. However it was a relief that wickets were no longer falling and Gilo and Kev were getting their eye-in. But as the urge for runs increased the guys started to take some chances and when Kev launched one over to mid-off we thought he was a goner…but the fielder couldn’t hold on to it and he was given a reprieve. Gilo also provided Elthorne with some catching practice but again they couldn’t hold on, maybe this was our day? As the overs started to run out the running between the wickets became more frantic, with Kev barking orders at Gilo who was turning a brighter shade of pink with every passing ball and sweating…and sweating…and sweating. To the point that Gilo almost didn’t make it in for a return run, only to be saved from a run-out by Pip’s dodgy umpire positioning so he couldn’t see what happened, much to Elthorne’s dismay. Kev continued to take chances and was dropped two more times as he swiftly passed his half century. Now the run-rate was turning into 9 or 10 an over and things were looking much better. Only a maiden over in the 27th caused some concern, after which the runs returned and concern for the run rate gave over to concern for Gilo’s health. But it wasn’t before too long that the winning runs were hit in the 33rd over and the Whalers were victorious after a 3rd wicket stand of 131.

It’s true to say that if Elthorne had held onto their catches this could have been a very different match but that takes nothing away from Kev and Gilo’s batting performance, a brilliant and brave run chase. The skippers decision to field first was justified.

A scorching hot day in Chiswick welcomed the stand-in opposition of Highgate Taverners, after Beamers had been forced to pull out a couple of days before. Captain Osgood won the toss and had no hesitation in giving Kev and Pip instructions to pad up.
Despite a wayward first over, the Taverners opening bowlers soon found their range and Pip and no. 3 Channa were soon back from whence they came, leaving the Whalers on 9-2. At the other end, the ever-more injury-prone Kev was making a watchful and cautious start. VDP’s season debut innings produced a couple of nice shots before he cut one in the air to backward point with the score still only 28. However, when Kev was joined by the scampering Stu, the shackles began to come off and both batsmen quickly looked very comfortable on what was essentially a very good batting wicket. There were some lovely drives from Kev in particular, while Stu vigorously cut and pulled anything short, easing the ball into the gaps and pushing Kev’s fragmented body into some swift running to rotate the strike. The pair built a solid recovery and accelerated the scoring to help the Whalers reach 103-3 after the first 20 overs. However, just when well-set, Stu’s lofted drive off Starkings could only find the mid-off fielder, and he had to depart for a well-made 30.

With the slower change bowlers finding the pitch pretty unforgiving, JT was able to stride out to the middle with some confidence and he was soon unleashing some typical dragon-slayer’s-apprentice-style shots, taking a special liking to the off-spinner. However, the return of Godal to the Highgate attack, in a tighter second spell, ensured that the slaying did not reach massacre-proportions by bowling JT for 27.

Kev meanwhile had passed 50, despite all the ailments afflicting him, and unleashed a particularly pleasing straight six off Purloe. Runs continued to flow and helpfully aggressive cameos from No. 7 James Gould (18) and Dan (9 not out) helped get Kev to another fine hundred and the Whalers to the heady heights of 218-6 from their 35 overs. Excellent effort from Kev who finished on 102 not out and highly valuable support work from the middle order meant that the Whalers could reflect on a well-built total as they tucked into their sandwiches and multiple glasses of squash (or Desperado in Kev’s case).

The Whalers took the field knowing that despite a hefty total on the board, the kindness of the pitch meant that much was still to be done in the bowling, catching and chasing departments.

Khalil and out-of-retirement opening bowler James Gould made a fine, tight start, giving the opening pair of Starkings and Stubbs very little to hit. Although every tight over placed greater run-rate pressure on the Taverners, there was always the feeling that if the batsmen got in, the 218 total would be very achievable. Gradually, the runs started flowing and neither Khalil nor Gouldy could make the breakthrough in their opening spell, despite bowling well and they were replaced by Kamal and Pip. Kamal quickly made an impact with Starkings patting a full toss straight to Khalil at short mid-wicket. Pip came on at the other end to bowl to his former Bristol University team-mate Phil Stubbs in a mini-duel within the game. Despite turning one past Stubbs’s outside edge and off stump first ball, the latter was well-set and took the attack to his former Captain, with Quinn doing much the same to Kamal at the other end. There were not enough balls in the right area and both bowlers were going for seven per over, against increasingly comfortable-looking batsmen.

Captain Osgood rotated the bowlers again, bringing himself and Stu on but Stubbs and Quinn were looking very strong now, with Quinn looking especially good at the crease. There was an almighty straight six off Stu and a number of other crashing drives to take the score past 150-1 with plenty of overs left. JT’s solitary over went for sixteen and the game was slipping away quickly. Badly in need of a breakthrough, Dan turned to Khalil and Gouldy and it didn’t take too long before the Whalers were handed a lifeline, as the dangerously fluent Quinn worked Gould off his legs only for Khalil at square leg to swoop and dive forward to take the catch one-handed. A moment of magic had opened the door, and another moment soon followed, arguably even better than the first. New batsmen Thompson, trying to force the pace and keep up with the required run-rate, smacked a full ball from Khalil high to the bowler’s right hand side, but with the same golden hand that had snaffled the previous catch, he again reached out and instinctively pouched the ball again. 3 catches for Khalil and a post-match jug of lemonade was beckoning.

The two quick wickets and dipping run rate were enough to put the jitters into the Taverners line-up and in the same over, Khalil had another wicket, bowling new batsman Beckett Jnr.

Having committed Khalil and Gould to the attack before the death, Dan then needed some tight overs at the end from elsewhere and so he brought himself on at one end and handed the ball back to Pip to bowl some rarely-seen medium pace at the other end. After a few dot balls at his old mate Stubbs, the pressure told and after a fine innings of 72, Stubbs failed to get hold of a very hit-able full toss and looped it back to Pip.

With 2 new batsmen at the crease and a run-rate of pushing 12-an-over for the last 3 overs, this was suddenly a very different game. The Whalers held their nerve, with Dan bowling especially tightly at the death, supported by some strong ground fielding, the Whalers rescued a 6-run win from a losing position.

Overall, a fine team performance, with special plaudits for Kev for a battling century and Khalil for, quite literally, snatching victory out of the bag and happily returning the Whale to winning ways.

Resullt: Whalers beat Highgate Taverners by 6 runs

Champagne: Khalil’s second one-handed catch off own bowling (with honourable mention for his other one-handed catch)